What constitutes 'peer support' within peer supported development?

Purpose: Peer supported schemes are replacing traditional Peer Observation of Teaching (PoT) programmes within some Higher Education Institutions. Peer supported schemes, whilst similar in philosophy to PoT, enable academic and academic related staff to support each other in non-teaching related activities. The purpose of this paper is to explore, therefore, the role of peer support in comparison with that of coaching and mentoring to clearly differentiate the activity. Design/methodology/approach: In 2010, one UK HEI appointed two Academic Fellows to implement and embed a 'Peer supported Development Scheme' (PSDS) within the institution. Through analysing the implementation process and drawing on activity conducted under such a scheme, this article examines the notion of 'peer support' in comparison to mentoring and coaching. The purpose of this will enable Academic Fellows to be able to better advise 'Supporters' how to work with colleagues and engage in structured dialogue to improve teaching and learning practice. Findings: The findings highlight that Peer support schemes are tangentially different to mentoring and coaching, however some activity undertaken as part of our peer supported scheme was actually mentoring and coaching. Therefore clearer guidance needs to be given to colleagues in order to steer the process towards 'peer support'. Originality/value: The PSDS discussed within this paper is only one of a few established within the UK and therefore findings from such schemes and how they are established are still emerging and will benefit other HEIs moving from PoT towards peer supported development

Nurturing the independent-thinking practitioner: using threshold concepts to transform undergraduate learning

This article explores the experience of employing the theory of threshold concepts to curricular re-design to transform students' learning experiences. As part of our annual review in 2011, programme team members raised the concern that some graduates from our vocational-type degree programme – BA (Hons) Working with Children, Young People and Families – did not appear to develop the links between 'theory' and 'practice' as effectively as other graduates. Reflection on the three-year old degree programme, designed to provide a foundation for those wishing to move into, or study further, in areas such as family support and social work, revealed two areas for further consideration. First, the programme's modular format appeared to encourage students to view aspects of their studies as unconnected. Secondly, its original design had been premised on a series of 'need to know' areas of policy, theory and practice which had been added to over time, with little taken out. In short, the curriculum appeared to have become both 'stuffed' and fragmented and did not appear to provide the ideal platform from which to engage students in the development of the knowledge, skills and understanding for future professional practice. Using the theory of threshold concepts as our starting point, we were able to identify key themes, ideas and activities that we perceived to be central to nurturing and developing independent and employable practitioners. The following article recounts our journey towards curriculum change, detailing how programme threshold concepts were identified and how these were subsequently applied in curriculum re-design

A review of safeguarding in grassroots football: Children and young people's perspectives

In 2021, Birmingham County Football Association (BCFA) in partnership with Newman University carried out a quantitative online review to assess coaches, volunteers, parents and young people's understanding of safeguarding information, policies and procedures in relation to football. This paper examines the findings from the children (aged 5–11) and young people (aged 12–17) using the Six Principles of Safeguarding to assess the current safeguarding measures in place to protect children and young people (CYP) playing grassroots football. The review found that whilst most CYP felt safe when playing organised football, there were some concerns raised from the young people in relation to angry parents, abuse and racism. Most children in both groupings had heard of the term safeguarding, but fewer had heard of the term welfare, and struggled to explain what welfare meant. A key finding and concern is that many CYP are not aware of the role of the Club Welfare Officer at their football club or that this might be someone to whom they can disclose issues concerning them. Furthermore, it became evident that further research, awareness raising and implementation of listening to and acting on children's voices needs to be fully embedded into safeguarding practice in children and young people's organised football

Feature-Film Audio Commentary (full film + deleted scenes, total 3 hours) for the feature film Maurice (James Ivory, 1987, British Film Institute UK Blu-ray Premiere release. [2-disc Blu-ray], BFI, UK, BFIB1330, SKU 5035673013304.

Newly commissioned by the British Film Institute, a research-led, full-film audio commentary and separate deleted-scenes audio commentary (total: 3 hours) for the BFI’s UK Blu-ray premiere edition of James Ivory’s classic gay heritage film Maurice (UK, 1987). My commentary draws on extensive, rigorous primary research in Ivory’s production papers for the film (University of Oregon Special Collections). The BFI edition is the exclusive UK release of Maurice’s 4K digital restoration for its 30th anniversary by the Cohen Media Group (USA), following the restoration’s cinematic re-release, initially across the US (2017), followed by Korea, the UK (2018), Japan and various European territories. My commentary was reviewed by Tom Birchenough (2019) in The Arts Desk as ‘revelatory’ (17 May) https://www.theartsdesk.com/node/83119: “The key extra ... is a 39-minute run-through of the film’s deleted scenes with indispensable elucidation supplied by film academic Claire Monk, who also contributes the full audio commentary that comes with the Blu-ray edition, as well as a lengthy booklet interview with [the film’s lead actor James] Wilby. [...] Monk’s assembly and explanation of such unused material ... fascinates. The way that it follows ideas from germination through development to their final form is revelatory, a glimpse into the cinematic process itself.